Importance of Iron in your body
Iron is an essential mineral which helps in the formation of hemoglobin, the red pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. Hemoglobin represents about two-thirds of the body’s iron. When you lack oxygen in your body, you get exhausted, which affects the functioning of your brain and the ability of your immune system to fight infections. If you do not have enough iron, your body fails to produce hemoglobin and you may suffer from anemia, a health problem that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin in the blood. If you’re pregnant, severe deficiency of iron can increase your baby’s risk of being born too early, or smaller than usual. Iron converts blood sugar to energy and allows muscles to work at their optimum. Iron helps in producing new healthy cells which keep hair, nails and skin healthy and helps the immune system to ward off infections.
The quantity of iron you require each day depends on your age, gender and overall health. Infants need more iron than an adult because they have a growing body. In childhood, boys and girls need the same amount of iron-8mg daily. Men and women require 18mg of iron daily. A pregnant woman needs 27mg of iron daily for her and her baby in the womb. Deficiency of Iron can be treated by intake of iron-rich food and treating any underlying conditions. Try and include more iron and vitamin C to your diet. It is important to remember one thing that Iron is an important nutrient your body requires. The body uses iron to produce red blood cells, which carry sufficient oxygen that satisfies its need.